Japanese development aid and direct investments in Asia

The transformation of the western edge of the Pacific Ocean into one of the most economically dynamic regions of the world has been propelled by Japan and patterned on that country´s phenomenal postwar recovery and growth. These centered on the successful adaptation of foreign technology, a self-initiated program of industrialization, and exports to competitive markets like the United States. Newly industrialized economies like South Korea and Thailand have understood the essence of Japan´s rapid development and successfully applied it to their own surging economies. Of crucial significance in the office development assistance (ODA) and direct foreign investments (DFI) from Japan to developing nations has been the transfer of technology and managerial know-how for infrastructural development and, subsequently, commercial industrialization. The development of human resources has been particularly emphasized by both the Japanese government and private firms